But how do you select an ideal transcription service provider? How do you choose a company that meets all your expectations while making sure you stay within budget?

Here is a detailed guide on choosing the best transcription service provider.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Privacy and confidentiality are two things you shouldn’t overlook when choosing a transcription service. These two are especially vital if your files contain sensitive information. Files that include meetings, conference calls, interviews, and consultations should be held confidential. Choose a transcription provider who takes privacy as seriously as you do. One way to assess their approach to safety is by asking the steps and measures they take to prevent data leaks. Take time to research if the company has any cases of data leaks. And if so, what did they do to prevent a recurrence?

Accuracy

In addition to turnaround time and privacy, also check the accuracy levels of the transcription company. You want to work with a company that ensures 99% accuracy, if not 100%. The final transcript should be error-free and consistent with voice dictation. A great way to assess accuracy is by requesting the provider to do a short audio sample. Use it to gauge whether the company meets your accuracy expectations. It is advisable to depend on a transcription company that use 100% human transcription rather than automated transcription.

Pricing

Ensure you understand the provider’s pricing plan before you settle for them. Go for a company whose pricing is reasonable and within your budget. A good tip would be to request quotes from different transcription providers then compare. Although, don’t let price be the only factor you assess. Sometimes the cheapest isn’t always the best value for money. Choose a company that offers competitive pricing without compromising quality.

Quick Turn-around Time

Another factor worth considering when outsourcing transcription is the turnaround time. How long does the service provider take to deliver jobs? Will they meet your deadline requirements? You can assess the company’s turnaround time by asking how long it takes to complete and submit large projects. Pick the provider that gives you a realistic timeline. Aim for a turnaround time that’s not too quick that you question the quality or too long that it affects your progress.

Qualified Transcribers in the Field

There are numerous types of transcription, medical, legal and academic, to name a few. It’s better to work with a transcription company with experience and expertise in your field. Before settling for a provider, take some time to find out which industry they deal in. Most may specialize in one or two transcription types. Also, ask them how they hire and train their transcribers. The best companies are the ones that train their staff to ensure they are well-equipped to deliver quality transcripts.

Assess the Company’s Flexibility

How flexible is the transcription company? Can they handle all types of projects? Choose a company that can satisfy your ever-changing transcription needs. They should be able to handle bulk, sensitive and tight-deadline projects, and so on. You can understand the company’s expertise in the field by looking at how long they have been in business and who are all their major clients. You can test the company’s flexibility by asking for references then calling them.

Good Customer Care

When choosing a transcription company, the first thing you need to assess is customer support. Always look for personalized customer service for the best services. Although some companies provide generalized customer service, other companies will directly access your project manager.

This makes it possible to make follow-ups and even request adjustments without going through the phone-tree customer support system. Working with personalized customer care, especially the project manager, should help make the process much more manageable.

Audio Formats

The transcription service provider should work with and support various audio formats. Working with such a provider should save you time since you wouldn’t have to convert the media files yourself. Audio formats generally depend on the type of project. For instance, some files might be in raw audio formats or even a basic video. You can also hire a transcription service provider to help handle the conversions for you. This is essential when you need hard copies to be converted to digital media.

Features

Uploading huge recording files can be quite a task for many companies. For this reason, the provider’s website should have the capability to support the uploading of large files simultaneously. You might also want to look for a company that provides unique templates and discussion guidelines per piece. Once done transcribing the files, the service provider should have a convenient way to deliver the completed work – such as email. Email is the most preferred method as it allows one to share the files with project partners and colleagues with ease.

Confidentiality and Security

Most company transcription files will include meetings, earnings calls, conference calls, and other sensitive files and data. There are times when the company will want market research transcriptions on products under development done. File production companies will also like some of their files transcribed to help save time and money.

That said, you need to be assured that the data delivered to them is confidential and kept secure. Some of the best transcription service providers go the extra step to ensure their client’s data is safe and secure. Look into each provider to see data leaks from previous customers.